Keeping Female Walleyes

[Downrigger]

Nothing over 20 in my wells but I respect that other people will clean what they want. If they are within the rules then good for them.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Is she's over 20 she goes back. Unless she's bleeding.

Good buddy of mine uses that rule...except he applies it to ladies at the bar.

 

[Kickemup]

Biggest walleye I ever kept to eat was a 27inch. Only reason I kept her was she came out of Minnesota and sconi waters and it seemed like the right thing to do. Most fish over 20 go back unless bleeding.

 

[Obi-Wan]

What kind of females are you talking about?

Is she's over 20 she goes back. Unless she's bleeding.

 

[Chas'n Tail]

I personally don't keep anything under 20. Maybe just to throw on shore and leave...

 

[johnr]

22" and over usually go back. I have never been too sure of the gender of my fish, unless they are jizzing all over the place when I grab them to remove my hook.

I am an equal opportunity fisherman like that, and keep my fish regardless of sex, national origin, race, or even religion.

 

[gonefshn]

I get so sick of these types of threads out there every year.

Why can't people just mind their own business (or fish in this case)? Every single person has a different opinion as to size, taste, and all the other things people think up. So, if they'd let it go there's one more female who'll spawn for one year out of millions if not tens of millions of fish. What if that person only fishes a couple times a year? And you fish numerous or hundreds of times a year. Who's the problem? The guy who kept that one that was probably a female ready to breed that year? Or the guy who fishes more than that person and keeps a lot of fish of which half might be females that will never ever get to spawn again?

The only person who has any right what-so-ever to decide if a fish is kept or released for whatever reason is the person catching it.

 

[Finaddict]

I basically agree with gonefshn, except for the big fish of any species or gender. We've probably all seen 28+" walleye carcasses or 36+" northerns butchered at the cleaning stations. That makes me sick. Personally I TRY to keep within the guideline 15" or greater in the boat, 20"+ back in the water (unless it's a grandson's first or biggest fish, then it's negotiable

 

[Achucker]

I thought this is why we citizens of the great state of North Dakota created an agency of biologists and wardens to keep track/monitor the river and lake systems and determine if there needs to be size limits or closed seasons for spawning or whatever. These are a bunch of guys (who are alot smarter in this than myself on this) in my opinion do a heck of a job managing our fisheries in this state.

 

[MSA]

No one ever has a problem keeping jumbo female perch swollen with eggs.

 

[guywhofishes]

No one ever has a problem keeping jumbo female perch swollen with eggs.

cuz those are caught through the ice dude - everyone knows that is the only proper way to slay egg bearing fish of the perch family

wait...

 

[Kurtr]

I basically agree with gonefshn, except for the big fish of any species or gender. We've probably all seen 28+" walleye carcasses or 36+" northerns butchered at the cleaning stations. That makes me sick. Personally I TRY to keep within the guideline 15" or greater in the boat, 20"+ back in the water (unless it's a grandson's first or biggest fish, then it's negotiable

why you would rather have them die and rot away in the water?

 

[lunkerslayer]

Don't forget about the coke trick with bleeding eyes

 

[MSA]

In 30+ years fishin ND, ive seen slot limits tried, ive seen seasons close, and the data our fish n game dept collects determines it doesnt work and isnt needed. I trust the 50 years of data, and the biologists the spend 40-50 hours a week doing the research before the hobby anglers that only fish for walleyes.

 

[Captain Ahab]

In 30+ years fishin ND, ive seen slot limits tried, ive seen seasons close, and the data our fish n game dept collects determines it doesnt work and isnt needed. I trust the 50 years of data, and the biologists the spend 40-50 hours a week doing the research before the hobby anglers that only fish for walleyes.

Yeah, but it's all a scam perpetrated by the G&F to extort our natural resources.

I also like to get my tax advice from my mechanic and my medications from a call center pharmacy in Mexico.

 

[Kurtr]

Don't forget about the coke trick with bleeding eyes

walleyes like coke i would have never guessed but it is a hell of a drug

 

[snow]

Interesting guyz,20"s was myboat rule since the early 1990's

 

[Duckslayer100]

I like what gonefshn said about the once-a-year guy versus the every weekend angler. If I went up there right now and brought home a limit of walleyes, I can guarantee you it would likely be the only one of the year. Because I never go to DL (which is a crying shame, but I just don't have the time or budget to do it with two kiddos under 4 years old at home). So it would be a rare treat, and while I'm not to into keeping walleyes over 20 inches for table fare (they get fishy tasting...at least to my wife) I probably wouldn't turn down a nice couple hunks of walleye flesh to either keep or share with my grandparents. Either way, those would be five fish in my freezer...and that's it.

How many spawner walleyes get kept by guys going up there weekly bringing home fish?? It may not be limits, but I wager they consume a hell of a lot more than I do in a given year.

 

[LBrandt]

Mother nature knows best, man can f--k it up.

 

[johnr]

I would never give anyone any trouble at a cleaning station, I do have a buddy that keeps every single fish he catches, and I have told him that keeping that 7 inch walleye is a yuge waste, and maybe throw it back, but nope he cleaned it...was awesome seeing that 1/2 ounce fillet